Chapter 79: chapter 79

MADHAVI park my convertible in Vikram's parking shed. I noticed another car parked in there. Just as I exit the car, I hear the sound of footsteps. I look up to find Nisha walking to the other car. She looks so deep in thought that she doesn't notice anything around her. “Nisha,” I call out her name to get her attention. She is still thinking something hard. I call her another couple of times before she realises that her name is being called.“I am sorry,” she says coming towards me. “I didn't notice you here.”“What has got you thinking so hard?” I ask wondering what could distract this laser-focused woman so much.She shrugs not meeting my eye and her voice is heavy as she answers, “Just things.”Her crude answer makes me understand that she doesn't want to share what is on her mind. Respecting it, I leave out the topic and ask her a different question, “Is that your new car? I haven't seen it before.”She looks at her black car and nods, “It is. I brought it a few weeks ago.”“What did you do with the old one?”“I sold it,” she looks behind me at the old convertible and then says, “I suggest you sell that rusty metal and buy a new car.”“Hey, that isn't rusty metal. It still runs and I am very fond of it,” I say defensively.Nisha only shakes her head, “I don't understand what you see in that mess?”“We all have our tastes,” I comment.“Yeah, we do,” she agrees with a faraway look. Something tells me that she isn't talking only about the car. With a shake of her head, she says, “Anyways, Madhav, I will be off. I better catch up with some sleep before your bestie slash brother-in-law decides to bombard me with work.”I bid her bye and walk to the house. I push the front door and a thrill of excitement spreads through me. It is been like this for the past five days. Sruthi and I have grown more closer than I could have imagined. We both go to bed in each other's arms and wake up like that but seeing her after a few hours makes me excited like a kid going to an exhibition.There is no one in the living room. I close the door and lock it. I hear sounds from Vikram's room. I drop my bag on the sofa and walk slowly to the room. The door is open revealing a bedridden Vikram with some documents and Sruthi beside his bed on a chair with her phone. Vikram looks up from the document and meets my eye. He makes a silent motion with his fingers and looks at Sruthi with amusement.“Are you free the next week?” Vikram asks.“Yeah,” Sruthi replies without looking up from her phone.Vikram's lips form into a smug grin and I have a bad feeling. To my shock, he asks, “Then about you go on a honeymoon next week?”It's funny to watch Sruthi's reaction, “Yea–” she starts but then looks up from her phone with wide eyes, “Wait, what??”“You heard me the first time. I am not going to repeat,” Vikram says in a smug tone.“You want me to go on a honeymoon?” Sruthi's voice is high pitched and she flushes red. I am not sure what she is imagining to make her flush but it makes me happy that she is flushing rather than fuming.“Yes, I want you to go on a honeymoon with your husband.”Sruthi gives him an assessing look, “Of course, idiot if I go on a honeymoon, then it must be with my husband. Who else will I take with me?”Vikram sighs, “Glad to know that you understand that. Anyways, are you up for it?”Sruthi takes a moment to think and then replies to my pleasant surprise, “Okay, but I am not sure if Madhav will be free.”“I am free,” I say entering the room. Sruthi gasps in surprise and turns to me with draggers in her eyes. “How long were you standing there and eavesdropping?”I raise my hands in surrender, “I had every intention of letting you know that I am here but it was your brother who asked me to stay silent.”“You know he was here?” Sruthi asks Vikram.“Of course, I know. If you weren't too immersed in looking at your phone, you would have heard his footsteps too.”She shakes her head, “He doesn't make a sound when he walks.”“Nah! He does but it is very faint. If you have been with him for all these years, then you would know it. I am sure you will soon learn to watch out for it.”“If both of you are done discussing my footsteps, why don't we return to the matter in hands? Why do you want us to go on a honeymoon all of a sudden?” I ask Vikram. There is no way he is randomly suggesting this idea. “I want to distract the media's attention away from me. Do you know how the media loves to put me in the headlines? Besides, aren't you postponing your exhibition, this will serve as a great excuse for postponing it and the attention won't be on me for some days. You see, it is two birds in one stone.”I ponder over his reason. Everything he said was correct. The media has some kind of obsession with Vikram. He is portrayed as the nation's hero. Yeah! I get the appeal, Vikram has it all. The looks, guts, wealth, health, power and fame. So, of course, the media loves romanticizing him. Unwanted rumours would start to spread if Vikram does not make a public appearance for two weeks continuously and the best way to distract the media is to give them another story to take the attention off him.“Are you sure it will work?” Sruthi asks worrying her lip. I try not to stare at it but it is difficult when she keeps bitting it.“It will absolutely work, Sru,” Vikram says. “Though I loathe to admit, people are sucker for romance and love stories. Why don't you post about your honeymoon on social media? I bet on my life that you will receive a lot of congratulatory wishes and blessings from the netizens. You have no idea because you were unconscious in the hospital but when you were injured many netizens prayed for your speedy recovery. Both you and Madhav were called a star-crossed couple all over the net. So, you both going on a honeymoon make them go crazy and keep them occupied for a few days.”“Okay, then I am in if Madhav agrees,” says Sruthi meeting my eyes. From my peripheral vision, I can feel Vikram's eyes on me. The ultimate decision rests with me now. I want to go on this trip with Sruthi. This is a great chance for us to become even closer and understand each other. Besides, I think she needs this trip more than me. “We will go on this trip,” I agree.“But, where are we going?” Sruthi asks in excitement. My heart flutters. God! She is genuinely excited about this trip. I never thought I would come to see a day where Sruthi would be excited to go on a trip with me alone.“Sru, don't worry about it. I have it all planned out for you both. Consider this as my gift for taking care of me this week. Just enjoy the trip and don't forget to post a picture daily.”Sruthi gives Vikram a salute and walks out of the room. I take the place Sruthi vacated and give Vikram my best no-nonsense look, “Okay, now, be honest with me. What is the real reason you want us to go on this trip?”❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥